Alaska awarded $3 million in HUD grants

ANCHORAGE - More than $3.4 million in federal grants will help Alaska organizations help house and support the homeless.

The U.S. Housing and Urban Development announced the grants Thursday.

Anchorage will get the bulk of the grants, including more than $2.6 in Continuum of Care funds and $83,000 in Emergency Shelter Grants. The remainder of the grants will be distributed statewide.

The continuum grants provide permanent and transitional housing to homeless people. The shelter grants help the operation of local shelters and fund related social service and homeless prevention programs.

HUD also has awarded $24 million to create new pilot programs in 23 communities to re-house homeless families with children. The Beyond Shelter Services program operated by Catholic Social Services in Anchorage will get more than $193,000 in that program.